Grocery stores are one of the only few places where we are allowed to go during the lockdown. Though this news manages to put a smile on your face every time but somewhere also raises a question that are you unintentionally putting yourselves and your families at risk after a round- trip to the grocery shop? Honestly, there’s nothing much that you can do about this because we all need to eat food to live and no matter how risky it gets someone from our families will have to step out and do it.

With WHO clearly stating that there are high chances of the virus surviving on the surfaces for few days and can be transmitted through the same, it becomes even more crucial to understand the need of the hour. The earlier you accept the fact that it is going be crowded every time you visit a grocery store the better it is. People are going to sweep the supermarket shelves irrespective of what the government says on the availability of the essential items and hence it makes it even more important for you to follow every precautionary measure whenever you are out for a grocery shopping.

Below are a few safety tips that you can follow when you step out of the house next time to buy groceries:

1) Maintain at least six-feet distance from other customers.

2) Don’t shake hands or have any form of physical contact with the customers or the shopkeeper.

3) Wipe the carts or basket handles with disinfectant wipes.

4) Avoid touching your face.

5) Always keep your face mask worn.

6) Carry your hand sanitizer and use it while waiting at the counter and after leaving the store.

7) Avoid going to the store if you are sick.

8) Wash your hands after unpacking the items.

9) If possible, prefer home delivery of groceries with proper precaution.

10) Rinse fruits and vegetables with warm water and baking soda before using them.

Have you ever thought about why you often fall sick? Do you think it’s the climate change or overexertion that makes you feel weak and eventually fall sick? You may be right but you wouldn’t want to play the blame game every time because not everyone whom you know is falling sick that often but it’s only you. So, how do we go about it and change this phenomenon of your body?

Firstly, it is important to know the defense system of our body before jumping on to activities strengthening it. Our immune system is a host defense system comprising many biological structures and processes within the body that protects against disease and potential health hazards.  When functioning properly, the immune system can identify multiple threats like viruses, bacteria and parasites and works towards distinguishing them from the body’s healthy tissue. As long as your immune system is running efficiently, you don’t notice that it’s doing the job, however, the moment it stops working properly or becomes weak to fight harmful substances, you get ill.

Hence, it becomes very crucial for you to follow measures that can boost your immunity system. Because healthier the immunity system, healthier are you. We have listed below a few tips that can play a vital role in boosting your overall immunity. Take a look and incorporate those in your lifestyle to stay healthy and fit.

Although it looks as if the pandemic is affecting almost everyone in some or other way, it may be even more crucial for people suffering from hypertension to stay updated and informed about COVID 19. Doctors suggest that coronavirus infection can be more fatal in those with hypertension and also alter the action of antihypertensive drugs.

The outbreak of COVID 19 is indeed more vital for hypertensive patients. Current evidence ensures that patients suffering from high blood pressure (hypertension) are at an increased risk of getting infected by COVID-19. Besides, these patients are also associated with an elevated risk of getting hospitalized due to aggressive symptoms, needing mechanical ventilation for breathing, and an even higher risk of mortality. As per WHO, hypertensive patients fall under the highest-risk category for getting affected by more severe COVID 19 cases and even death. The COVID 19 death rate in hypertensive patients is 8.4% vs. 0.9% in patients without any pre-existing condition. Two special implications have been found for hypertension and COVID 19:

• Hypertensive patients have elevated ACE2 levels
• Hypertensive patients on ACE inhibitors or ARB therapy may need to stop taking these medications or need re-evaluation if they contract COVID 19.

Like many others out there, you would also probably have questions about the mighty Coronavirus and the one topping the list is about the spread of the virus. Currently, the Novel Coronavirus has been spreading rapidly across the globe, affecting 175 countries and claiming more than 21,000 lives. With the global pandemic showing no signs to stop, here’s a closer look at how the deadly virus spreads.

Think of all the frequently touched surfaces where germs can lurk: kitchen counters, bathroom counters, doorknobs, elevator buttons, the handle on the refrigerator, handrails on staircases. The list goes on and on.

As the initial cases of the disease were associated with direct exposure to the seafood sellers in China, the first presumption of the spread of the virus was thought to be a case of “animal-to-human transmission”. But, later patients were not associated with the above workings. Hence, the experts concluded that the virus could also be transmitted through person-to-person contact, and patients having the disease symptoms are the most common source of the spread of the disease. The possibility of spread prior symptom developments seems to be rare but is possible. Additionally, data demonstrating that infected patients devoid of symptoms are also capable of transmitting the virus is also present. This fact indicates that practicing self-isolation is indeed the best way to control the epidemic.

As evident with other respiratory illnesses, the spread of the disease is thought to occur through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing. Aerosol transmission is also possible in case of closed spaces. The latter spread, however, mainly occurs to family members, healthcare workers, and other proximal contacts.

Data also indicates that cases of COVID 19 double every week in the epidemic. Thus average, each patient spreads the disease to an additional 2.2 individuals.

With the outbreak of Novel Coronavirus and the speed through which it is spreading, one way to surely slow the spread is social distancing (also called physical distancing). The more space between you and others, the harder it is for the virus to spread. With death count increasing massively every day, it has become even more important to follow all the guidelines shared by the government and the respective health authorities to protect yourself from the global pandemic.

Currently, isolation is the only effective way out to restrict or prevent the transmission of the infection. Hence, current strategies of prevention revolve around isolation of patients along with careful infection control, including undertaking suitable measures at the time of diagnosis and treating an already infected patient.